Native Son Marxism Essay
I am going to be using Marxism to interpret the book, Native Son. When talking about Marxism, it generally deals with gender, class, and race. In the book, Native Son, there are many examples of Marxism that have to do with underestimating and unfairness. This was evident especially when dealing with Chicago in the 1930 's and 1940 's when Africans were treated unfairly and were demoted.
In Native Son, Bigger, the main character, and his family are being over priced for a rundown, one-bedroom flat unsuitable to live in because of their race. Mr. Dalton, Bigger 's boss, owns the company that sold the Thomas 's their flat. The Thomas family along with a lot of other Africans in Chicago at the time, were forced to live in south side Chicago. Mr. Dalton 's company would not sell them any other flat that was not on the south side. They kept the Africans in their own little section of the city, being taken advantage of and mistreated. The company made the Africans pay more for their unfit flats than the whites that were in a better furnished neighborhood. Of course when Max, Bigger 's white lawyer, brings this to the attention of Mr. Dalton at Bigger 's trial. While in front of the jury Mr. Dalton claimed that the Africans are “happier when they are together.” Max, then states that the Africans would probably be more profitable too. The reason Mr. Dalton and his company do this is because they think it would be unethical for them to sell the Africans cheaper flats.( Racism in the United States during this time was so horrible. Just because of the color of their skin, they automatically have to be thrown into the filthiest part of Chicago to live in over-priced flats like a cattle cart. Some people would think this fair, but others like Jan and Max, Bigger 's communist friends, thought it was outrageous for Africans to be treated that way.
In the United States in the 1930 's and 1940 's, white people had the unthinking sense of superiority that deceives them into
In Native Son, Bigger, the main character, and his family are being over priced for a rundown, one-bedroom flat unsuitable to live in because of their race. Mr. Dalton, Bigger 's boss, owns the company that sold the Thomas 's their flat. The Thomas family along with a lot of other Africans in Chicago at the time, were forced to live in south side Chicago. Mr. Dalton 's company would not sell them any other flat that was not on the south side. They kept the Africans in their own little section of the city, being taken advantage of and mistreated. The company made the Africans pay more for their unfit flats than the whites that were in a better furnished neighborhood. Of course when Max, Bigger 's white lawyer, brings this to the attention of Mr. Dalton at Bigger 's trial. While in front of the jury Mr. Dalton claimed that the Africans are “happier when they are together.” Max, then states that the Africans would probably be more profitable too. The reason Mr. Dalton and his company do this is because they think it would be unethical for them to sell the Africans cheaper flats.( Racism in the United States during this time was so horrible. Just because of the color of their skin, they automatically have to be thrown into the filthiest part of Chicago to live in over-priced flats like a cattle cart. Some people would think this fair, but others like Jan and Max, Bigger 's communist friends, thought it was outrageous for Africans to be treated that way.
In the United States in the 1930 's and 1940 's, white people had the unthinking sense of superiority that deceives them into